Kashmir's Bilquis Mir Meets Sports Min To Discuss Water Sports Future

(MENAFN- Kashmir Observer) New Delhi – From an accidental kayaker to being a jury member at the Olympics, Kashmiri trailblazer Bilquis Mir has come a long way and it was another moment of pride for her when Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya and Minister of State for Sports Raksha Nikhil Khadse met her to discuss the sport's future.

The 38-year-old, who served as a jury member for kayaking and canoeing during the Paris Olympics last year, met the two ministers here on Tuesday and apprised them about the growth of water sports in the country.

“I can see that the contribution of sportspersons is acknowledged more outside Jammu and Kashmir and this was clear from the attention and respect I got during my meeting with the two respected ministers,” Mir told PTI.

She said the Sports Minister even asked her to prepare a roadmap for kayaking and canoeing and groom teams too.

“It was heartening to know that the Union sports ministry is keen on these water sports which in total have 16 medals in Olympics,” she said.

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Her meeting with the two ministers comes at a time when Kashmir's iconic Dal lake is gearing up to host the inaugural Khelo India Water Sports Festival from August 21 to 23.

After the interaction, Khadse, while stressing on the transformative potential of sports, lauded Mir for her inspiring journey and deep commitment to grassroots development.

Mir's is a tale of overcoming barriers and achieving new milestones in Kashmir when terrorism was at its peak. She started her journey on the waters of Dal Lake, where she honed her kayaking skills after being introduced to the sport accidentally while out with a friend.

Between 1998 and 2006, she dominated the national stage, winning more than 25 medals and became the first from her state to compete for India in the ICF Sprint World Cup in Hungary, where she progressed to the semifinals - a first for Indian water sports.

She was also the national coach for the women's kayaking and canoeing team at the London Olympics in 2012.

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